Hydraulic door construction

Abstract

A hydraulically actuated door for a large opening of a building comprises a door formed in two parts divided by a horizontal hinge line so that a lower part can fold up under the upper part in an open position of the door. The upper part carries two flanges one at each side which project outwardly from the front face of the door. A ram extends from the base of a door post upwardly to the flange so that an upward force from the ram pivots the door about a horizontal hinge line at the top of the door to an open position in which the door extends outwardly from the horizontal hinge line. A level mechanism including a push rod pushes the lower portion of the door in a folding action around the center hinge line of the door up under the upper portion of the door into the folded position. Force from the opening action is thus communicated at the base of the posts rather than to the building and the door provides a wide opening with little height encumbrance and the actuating equipment on the exterior of the building.

I claim: 
     
       1. A door arrangement for a building comprising a door, a door frame including a pair of vertical door posts, means mounting the door on the door frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis adjacent the top of the posts from a closed position in which a plane of the door lies in the same plane as the posts to an open position in which the door extends outwardly from the horizontal axis, the door being formed in the first and a second part, the first part being mounted on the door frame at said horizontal axis for pivotal movement about said horizontal axis and the second being mounted on the first part and foldable relative thereto about a second axis parallel to said horizontal axis, the second part in the open position of the door being arranged such that it is folded under the first part so as to lie directly parallel thereto, and including a first and a second lever mechanism extending between said first part of the door and the second part of the door and arranged to cause movement of the second part of the door into the folded position in dependence upon pivotal movement of said first part about said horizontal axis, first and second coupling means each fixedly mounted on the first part of the door at a respective side thereof at a position projection outwardly from the plane of the door, and first and second extendable hydraulic cam means, means connecting one end of each ram means to a base of a responsive one of the posts to communicate force from the door solely to the base, means connecting an opposed end of each ram means to a respective one of the coupling means, the ram means being extendable from a first position in which the door is closed to a second position raising the door to the open position. 
     
     
       2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein each of the coupling means comprises a flange mounted on the door and lying in a plane at right angles to the door such that the flange extends outwardly from the door, and a bearing element mounted on the flange at a position spaced from the plane of the door and connected to one end of the ram means. 
     
     
       3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein the flange is triangular with a base o the triangle lying along an outer face of the door and the bearing element mounted at an apex of the triangle remote from the door. 
     
     
       4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein each lever mechanism includes an elongate straight lever connected to the second part and lying substantially in the plane of the second part so as to extend therefrom beyond the second axis, and pushing means mounted on the first part of the door arranged to push the second part into the folded position thereof. 
     
     
       5. The invention according to claim 4, wherein the pushing means comprises a pushing rod, a first coupling lever mounted on the first part of the door at and in thereof adjacent the horizontal axis and the second coupling lever mounted on the first part at a position thereon spaced outwardly of the horizontal axis, the pushing rod being coupled to both of said coupling levers for movement longitudinal of the first part in a pushing action. 
     
     
       6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein the pushing rod comprises a first portion between the two coupling levers and a second portion pivotal relative to the first portion and extending from said second coupling lever to said first lever on said second part of the door. 
     
     
       7. The invention according to claim 6 including means for providing a force longitudinal of the pushing rod. 
     
     
       8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein the means for providing the force comprises a cable which is connected to the pushing rod at a position thereon adjacent the horizontal axis, the cable passing over a pulley mounted on the first part of the door and extending from the pulley to a fixed position relative to the frame. 
     
     
       9. A door arrangement for a building comprising a door, a door frame including a pair of vertical door posts, means mounting the door on the frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis adjacent top of the posts from a closed position in which the plane of the door lies in the same plane as the posts to an open position in which the door extends outwardly from the horizontal axis, the door being formed in a first and second part, the first part being mounted on the door frame at said horizontal axis for pivotal movement about said horizontal axis and the second part being mounted on the first part and foldable relative thereto about a second axis parallel to said horizontal axis, the second part in the open position of the door being arranged such that it is folded under the first part so as to lie directly parallel thereto, and a first and a second lever mechanism extending between said first part of the door and the second part of the door and arranged to cause movement of the second part of the door into the folded position in dependance upon pivotal movement of said first part about said horizontal axis, wherein each lever mechanism includes an elongate straight lever connected to the second part and lying substantially in the plane of the second part so as to extend therefrom beyond the second axis, and pushing means mounted on the first part of the door arranged to push the second part into the folded position thereof. 
     
     
       10. The invention according to claim 9 wherein the pushing means comprises a pushing rod, a first coupling lever mounted on the first part of the door at and in thereof adjacent the horizontal axis and the second coupling lever mounted on the first part at a position thereon spaced outwardly of the horizontal axis, the pushing rod being coupled to both of said coupling levers for movement longitudinal of the first part in pushing action. 
     
     
       11. The invention according to claim 10 wherein the pushing rod comprises a first portion between the two coupling levers and a second portion pivotal relative to the first portion and extending from said second coupling lever to said first lever on said second part of the door. 
     
     
       12. The invention according to claim 11 including means for providing a force longitudinal of the pushing rod. 
     
     
       13. The invention according to claim 12 wherein the means for providing the force comprises a cable which is connected to the pushing rod at a position thereon adjacent the horizontal axis, the cable passing over a pulley mounted on the first part of the door and extending from the pulley to a fixed position relative to the frame.